On this day, 24 years ago, the US was savagely attacked by a group of radical Islamic zealots who used four airplanes as weapons. One of these four was unsuccessful, brought down by the heroic passengers and crew who had heard what was going on. One of them hit its target at the Pentagon in Virginia, the headquarters of our Department of War. Two of them successfully hit Towers 1 and 2 of the World Trade Center in New York City, both of which eventually crumbled to the ground. All passengers and crew of these four planes, including the terrorists themselves, perished in these attacks. Adding the victims on the ground and in the towers and the first responders who ran toward the calamity, the total death count on 9/11/2001 was just under 3000 people, a higher number than those who perished in the Pearl Harbor attack.
President George W Bush said on that day: Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day.
In my more than six decades of life, I have never known America to be more united than in the weeks following 9/11. Sadly, that unity has not lasted, and today we live in a sharply divided nation, where even the expression of a contradicting viewpoint leads to charges of evil and calls for elimination.
Yesterday, Charlie Kirk, a young man who stood strongly for his ideals of American pride, conservative beliefs, and Christian values, and who encouraged open conversation in a nation proclaiming the Freedom of Speech, was gunned down in a cowardly act. Agreeing with his ideas and convictions or not, I believe that we as Americans must condemn such hostile behavior and allow the freedoms that are ours in the Bill of Rights to be truly freely exercised and to welcome the free discussion of competing viewpoints without personal demonization. Today and for the next few days, our own flag, by order of President Trump, flies at half-staff to memorialize Charlie Kirk.
Join me in a moment of silence to honor those lost in these events.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted….
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy….
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they will be called children of God.
Matthew 5:4,6,7,9
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